The usual mop bucket and wringer consists of a bucket having a bottom with wheels mounted to it so that it can roll across a floor. A wringer unit is suspended into the top of the bucket and is commonly held therein by the use of rear and side hangers or hooks which fit over the rim of the bucket and hang the wringer unit in the top of the bucket. The hooks or hangers are often several inches long and exert stress on relatively small areas to create stress points on the bucket. Therefore, the bucket must be of relatively sturdy and heavy duty construction to resist the bending forces applied thereto by the wringer mounted on the bucket sidewalls. Moreover, the wringer is usually suspended within the bucket with the result that the wringer can be easily lifted out of the bucket. This is not a problem when the user intends to remove the wringer from the bucket, but all too often the wringer inadvertently separates from the bucket, as when moving the bucket and can spill mop water on the floor.
According to the present invention, there is provided a combination mop bucket and wringer which uses a bucket of particularly thin-walled, generally a plastic, construction material, which by itself would be flimsy and probably unsuitable for general use as a mop bucket. However, a wringer is also provided which includes a cap-like body which fits over a substantial portion of the top of the mop bucket and is secured thereto. The mating configuration of the mop bucket and wringer provides a secure connection whereby the wringer cannot be inadvertently lifted or even removed from the mop bucket, and the wringer provides a cap or top which secures and strengthens the combined structure as a whole to resist buckling or bending of the bucket sidewalls. Additionally, the combined unit can be lifted by the wringer handle lever without concern for the wringer lifting off the bucket. The connection between the mop bucket and wringer body is by interlocking the bucket sidewall edge and the wringer downward edge so that once connected, they cannot be readily disconnected except through the use of tools.